ASIC pioneer reinvents 3-D FPGAsProduct News 1/29/2010 8 commentsBy building a three-dimensional field-programmable FPGA with an ultra-dense anti-fuse interconnect, NuPGA claims to be able to achieve the density of an ASIC at a fraction of the cost.

DirecTV explores Wi-Fi, G.hn networksNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 Post a commentDirecTV said it is testing versions of Wi-Fi and aims to test wired links based on the ITU G.hn standard days after the company debuted the first satellite TV set-top boxes to use the home networking technology of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance.

Can nuclear waste be handled safely?News & Analysis 1/29/2010 14 commentsA blue-ribbon panel convened by the Obama Administration must answer within two years the question of how the latest science and technology can provide safe methods to handle the waste from nuclear power plants. We'd like to hear what you think.

Atmel outlines plans for business restructuringNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 Post a commentFollowing a comprehensive review of alternatives for its ASIC business Atmel Corporation has announced plans to continue to explore the potential sale of the company's Smart Card (SMS) business located in Rousset, France and East Kilbride, UK and that it intends to discontinue potential sale discussions for its Customer Specific Products (CSP) and Aerospace businesses.

All hail, mighty iPadNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 Post a commentNow that Apple's long-rumored tablet computer has finally been unveiled, there seems to be some question about whether it will be a hit. The answer: it already is.

Credit where credit is dueNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 1 commentConsultant, electrical engineering PhD and blogger Don Scansen offers up credit to Apple for using an internally designed processor in the iPad and to other bloggers who guessed correctly about the product prior to the much-hyped unveiling.

Atmel puts smart card business up for saleNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 1 commentMicrocontroller vendor Atmel Corp. (San Jose, Calif.) has announced it is exploring the potential sale of its smart card business located in Rousset, France and East Kilbride, Scotland but that it intends to discontinue potential sale discussions for its customer-specific products and aerospace businesses.

Hynix: no bidders for stake forces rethinkNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 Post a commentBank shareholders in Hynix Semiconductor Inc. had received no offers for their 28 percent stake in the memory maker by a Friday deadline, according to local reports that cited lead investor Korea Exchange Bank as their source.

Plextek reaches co-marketing agreement with TriQuintProduct News 1/29/2010 Post a commentPlextek, the Cambridge-based electronics and communications design consultancy today announced that it is cooperating with TriQuint Semiconductor, a leading RF products manufacturer and foundry services provider, on a co-marketing agreement.

Chip makers swing to profitabilityNews & Analysis 1/29/2010 Post a commentChip makers including Sandisk, Maxim Integrated Products, Cypress Semiconductor and Lattice Semiconductor swung to profit in the calendar fourth quarter of 2009compared to losses suffered at the height of the downturn in late 2008. But memory technology licensor Rambus posted a wider loss after retroactively recognizing previously withheld royalties in the year-ago period.

Analyst rails against the fab-liteNews & Analysis 1/28/2010 6 commentsThe fabless chip vendors and pursuers of fab-lite manufacturing strategies are about to get a shock, according to Malcolm Penn, principal analyst with Future Horizons (Sevenoaks, England). Some companies could under-perform, others could be driven out of business in a market that should be booming for them; and all because they have lost control of manufacturing.

Analysis: Why a sustained ASP turnaround could be a mirageNews & Analysis 1/28/2010 Post a commentMalcolm Penn, founder and principal analyst with Future Horizons (Sevenoaks, England), has been at the bullish end of the spectrum of market researchers' opinion through most of the last decade. He remains so, but he is convinced that at long last the conditions are coming together to create manufacturing capacity shortages and a boom for chip makers and vendors.

Sony Electronics acquires Convergent Media SystemsNews & Analysis 1/28/2010 Post a commentSony Electronics announced the acquisition of Convergent Media Systems, the digital signage and content distribution systems company will be integrated as a subsidiary into Sony Electronics' broadcast and professional products business.